We must keep eye on the ball

NEWS that Cairns hasn’t locked in a Rabbitohs home game up here for 2019 yet should concern us all.

Mayor Bob Manning said he hopes an NRL match will return to the Far North but he hasn’t spoken to Tourism and Events Queensland or Cairns and District Rugby League yet.

South Sydney, and more importantly, their fans, have been heading to the tropics for the past six years and the influx of visitors gives tourism, retail and hospitality businesses a welcome nudge at the start of the peak season.

To lose a game such as this would also be a blow to Cairns’ growing reputation as a capable and beautiful location to host national and international events.

All indicators point to a slow rebuilding of the Far North economy after a long, painful struggle since the global financial crisis in 2008 and recent cyclones all but wiped out a thriving region.

Advance Cairns chief executive Nick Trompf said losing the Rabbitohs match would be a setback for tourism and hospitality businesses. Indeed, cafes around town such as Blackbird Espresso on Grafton St and Cafe Paradiso on Abbott St have been gleefully boasting on social media about visits by the Rabbitohs over the weekend.

Cafe Paradiso co-owner Andy Graham even said visitors from Sydney had come to the business for brekkie on the back of knowing their footy idols had obviously rated the food and service.

Cr Manning has said he doesn’t want to put any pressure on the South Sydney club who invest heavily in this region, but it’s worth indicating now how much we gain from the visits, and how much we have to offer. Alicia Nally alicia.nally@news.com.au